Icarus
by Whistles
Summary: "I... I lost..." Barry quietly admitted, his lower lip trembling. Before he could utter another word, he was swallowed in the scent of Dawn's perfume as the girl pulled him into an embrace. The warmth emanating from the hug in contrast with the icy Snowpoint winds made him nuzzle his face in the crook of her neck as tears threatened to spill out of his amber eyes. "I always lose."
1. The Boy Who Dashes Off

**Prologue**

_|"A man's dream never dies!"|_

* * *

"Sora, use Volt Tackle!"

The golden haired trainer nervously bit his lip as he watched the brawny Luxray bullet towards his Torterra at impeccable speed, electric sparks shooting from his inky black fur as he maneuvered on the dimly lit stadium's battle area. A safe distance behind the attacking Pokemon was its Trainer, Lucas. His sapphire eyes were unusually bright, and wide with fiery determination as he watched his electric-type dart towards the Torterra. The adolescent's stance was emanating anticipation, and his chapped lips were curled into a thrilled smile. To Lucas, the brawl was just an affable battle between childhood friends. There was nothing valuable at stake, and it wasn't like it was an official Pokemon League battle, anyway. However, to Barry, it was worth so much more.

Legally, no Trainers were supposed to occupy any of the battle arenas used in the Pokemon League the night prior to the opening day. In fact, being in an unattended arena the belongs to an Elite Four member isn't something the Sinnoh Police Force would take to kindly of. However, when Barry suggested they train in Bertha's rock-themed arena to grow accustomed to the "feel" of battling in a League stadium, they both concluded that a little bit of exploring and training wouldn't hurt anyone.

Bertha's battle area bore a heavy resemblance to one of the many caves inside the maze-like layout of Mt. Coronet. Over sized, jagged stones adorned the harsh, dirt encrusted surface of the battle area, with the entrances to the main stage mimicking the appearance of cave entrances. Due to the late hour, the place was also shrouded in darkness, with a few torches (made by Lucas' Infernape) strategically placed among the area to provide a somewhat decent light source.

"Dodge it, Sprout!" Barry commanded the Torterra, a grin similar to that of Lucas' finding its way onto his tanned face. He would never inform Lucas of how highly staked this battle was, in his mind. For what felt like years (when, in actuality, only a few months had passed since the two embarked on their Pokemon journies throughout Sinnoh), Lucas had repeatedly defeated Barry in every form of the word, whiping out his Pokemon and - little by little - harming his ego. By a stroke of luck, Lucas had even defeated him the very day that they had received their Pokemon, before even being formally given a Pokedex by Professor Rowan. After these losses, Barry would spend days on end training his Pokemon, honing their skills and battle strategies. This time, he hoped that their efforts would be showcased and enable to him to actually win a battle against his longtime friend.

Barry watched in anticipation as the immense grass-type shifted its weight, and began to move out of the quickly approaching Luxray's path. His Torterra - which he had nicknamed "Sprout" when it was still a petite Turtwig - was swifter than its size would imply, and he was able to slide of out the Luxray's way with ease. The Luxray was not prepared for the Torterra's dodge, and continued moving until it collided with the stone wall behind where the grass-type had stood, shaking the stadium walls and resonating through the place like thunder. Barry's grin grew. He had been wary of Sprout's previously low stamina, and had made sure that he and the grass-type would jog and exercise their legs daily to avoid slothfulness during the Pokemon League's battles.

"Now, use Energy Ball!" The blonde continued to call out to his starter Pokemon, excitement pumping through his veins. Sprout's jaw immediately dropped upon command, and a pastel orb began to synthesize in his mouth, quickly increasing in size. When it was an appropriate magnitude, the ball of energy shot out at the dazed Luxray, who was still trying to recover from the initial impact with the stone wall.

"Snap out of it, Sora!" Lucas demanded in a louder tone, his smile faltering at his Pokemon's incompetence. The usually cunning Pokemon was still cradeling its injured skull in one of it's dark forepaws, and kept its yellow eyes squeezed shut, obviously in pain. "C'mon, Sora! Dodge!"

The Luxray lifted its head to hiss menacingly at whatever its Trainer had shouted warnings about, but instead yelped in fear when it's eyes rested on the quickly advancing Energy Ball attack. Scrambling to it's feet, the Pokemon messily sprinted out of the way, causing the attack to barely graze it's left hind leg. It winced at the minor impact, and it's balanced wavered, but was able to quickly recover and get into a fighting stance. It's dark pupils were dancing with rage as it attempted to focus long enough to give its attacker an angry glare. Sprout, in turn, merely gave the tenacious Pokemon a blank stare.

"Your Torterra is pretty fast for its size," Lucas remarked, snatching Barry's attention away from the Pokemon. He jerked his head to glance at Lucas with a wide grin on his face. Somehow, they were always able to simultaneously carry a conversation while trying to knock out each other's Pokemon. Most of what they usually said consisted of taunts and insults, hoping to get each other riled up and more motivated. "But, my Luxray is faster!" He averted his gaze from Barry to his Electric-type partner, before calling out, "Sora, use Thunderbolt!"

"Hey! What the-?" Barry's eyes widened at the blue-haired male's sudden command, and immediately directed his eyes to the electric and grass type Pokemon on the battlefield. Sparks began to erupt from the Luxray's fur, and it hollered out its namesake as if it were a battle cry. It shot out a bright maize beam at the over sized Torterra. Barry opened his mouth to command a retaliation, but it was too late. Sprout was engulfed in blinding yellow electric sparks.

The Torterra lifted it's head, and cried out in pain as jolts of electricity seared through his body. Barry winced, his wide grin quickly transitioning into a dejected frown. Seeing his Pokemon in pain was one of the few things that could make his mood immediately turn south. Despite being a Trainer - someone that should be used to injured Pokemon - Barry hated seeing his Pokemon ever having to suffer or display any negative emotions. It made him feel as if he failed as their Trainer.

It felt like time extended itself as the attack finally came to an end, causing Sprout's cries to also die down. The Luxray arrogantly smirked, feeling victorious as it watched to see how the Torterra would react to such a _shocking_ attack. The majestic Pokemon wobbled on it's short legs as it's entire form continued to twitch violently. Barry nervously bit down on his lip as he called out what he thought were motivational words to the injured Pokemon. "Come on, Sprout! Hang in there! We can win this!"

The grass-type slowly directed his gaze at his frantic Trainer, who was wide-eyed and panting. He gave him an apologetic look, muttering something in its native tongue as it continued to tremble and shake. The blonde's breath hitched in his throat at the Pokemon's forlorn expression. Barry had been thinking he had failed as a Trainer, when his starter was feeling as if it had failed as his Pokemon. Even though he couldn't understand what the Torterra had said, he knew that the expression on the large Pokemon's face displayed all that he was trying to say. _"I'm sorry."_

Sprout collapsed, falling to the ground with a thud. It's eyes slowly creaked closed as it let an exasperated sigh escape its lips. It had been a long battle, nearly spanning out over a three hour period. "Sora" and Sprout's battle alone had lasted the majority of that time, leaving both Pokemon staggering with exhaustion. Shortly after Sprout had fallen, Barry heard a similar, lighter thud, and turned just as Lucas' Luxray was sprawling out on the ground, panting heavily.

Without hesitation, Barry sprinted to where his Torterra lay, carefully inspecting the enormous Pokemon for any injuries. When all he found were tiny scratches and bruises, he allowed himself to exhale and give the grass-type a gentle pat on the head, drawing out a Pokeball in his free hand. Sprout's eyelids fluttered open again, and directed his eyes at his Trainer. Barry, in turn, gave him a wide, reassuring grin. "Don't give me that look, Sprout. You did your best. That's all that matters!"

The Torterra simply blew more air out of his nostrils in reply. A smile tugged at the corners of the Pokemon's lips as its form was swallowed in the ruby red light that shot out of the Pokeball. When he was finally inside the capsule-like tool, Barry shifted the Pokeball in between his hands with care, his grin fading into a small smile.

A hand extended into his line of vision, making Barry raise his eyebrows in puzzlement. Trailing his eyes from the hand, to the arm, to the face, his confused expression did not cease when he saw a Lucas, who was grinning so wide that his cerulean eyes were like tiny slits on his face. The sight of his friend's giddy appearance made Barry break out into a large grin all over again. He firmly grasped Lucas' outstretched hand in a friendly handshake. Lucas' smile grew as he spoke in an upbeat tone. "No hard feelings, right?"

"Are you crazy? Of course not!" Barry exclaimed in incredulity, his voice filled with ambitious excitement. His loud tone caught Lucas off-guard, but the teenager quickly regained his composure as Barry began to dramatically stretch his eyebrows and widen his eyes as he spoke. "This is proof that I need to get stronger! If I can't beat you now, I won't stand a chance against the Elite Four if my team lacks proper training. That means we'll have to get started now if we're going to be ready for the Sinnoh League!"

The raven-haired boy fell silent for a moment at the continuity of Barry's outburst - the latter sentence in particular. "But, Barry... The Pokemon League starts tomorrow... How are you going to train your team to be that powerful overnight?"

"The Sinnoh League is tomorrow?!" The blonde gasped, sheer disbelief in his tone. When Lucas warily nodded a reply, his eyes grew to the size of saucers as he began to make a mad dash towards one of the exits in the arena, kicking up a cloud of dust with each footstep. "That means we'll have to get started right away! Just you wait, Lucas! The next time we battle, I'll be stronger! And I _will_ beat you!"

Barry's promised words echoed loudly in the area, ringing through Lucas' ears as he watched the boy zip away at an almost inhumane speed. He couldn't help but chuckle at his friend's impulsiveness. For as long as he could remember, Barry had always been in a rush over everything. He did everything at a fast pace, from training his Pokemon to simply eating lunch. Lucas and his mother often speculated that it was hereditary. Barry's father - a Frontier Brain by the name of Palmer - was almost as impulsive as Barry, and ran off in the midst of a conversation just like his son.

"Next time, huh?" Lucas mused, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "Hm... I look forward to it."

* * *

**If you've read this far, thank you. I haven't really had the chance to go back and proofread this, so apologies for any misspellings or OOC-ness.**

**Please write a review and tell me what you think.**

**I actually started writing interactions between Dawn and Barry in the end of this prologue, but quickly realized that I wasn't going anywhere with it, and trashed the idea. However, I can guarantee that there will be "twinleafshipping moments" in the next chapter - the official first chapter of the story! And don't you worry - actual chapters will be much longer than the one you see here.**


	2. Road of Hope

**Chapter One**

_|"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."|_

* * *

_"Champion Cynthia's Garchomp is unable to battle! Ladies and gentleman, the winner of this battle is Lucas, the new victor of the Sinnoh League!" _

Barry's amber eyes brightened at the rerun of the celebrated Champion battle that had thrown the entire region into a frenzy. It had been three months since his childhood friend was crowned as the new Champion of the region, and he hadn't been able to spend more than two full days in his hometown. From the moment the battle was broadcasted on international television, he had been whisked off to press conferences, talk show interviews, autograph sessions, and occasionally defeating an arrogant Trainer that would challenge him to a battle. In fact, if Barry remembered correctly, Lucas was in Jhoto right now, attending some sort of formal dinner for Champions, Elite Four Members, and Gym Leaders from all around the globe.

He slammed his index finger on the television remote's power button from where he rested on his bed, making the screen flicker to another channel. He had seen the battle so many times, he was sure that he could recite every word the announcer uttered throughout his commentary. Almost everyone in Twinleaf Town had the entire Pokemon League recorded on their televisions, so they could flicker to it whenever they wanted to mutter their own opinions, or needed reassurance that the petite town was finally worth something - birthing Champions.

Stretching his limbs, a yawn escaped the blonde's lips as he arose from the mesh of disassembled blankets and pillows that occupied his bed. Being as energetic as he was, he moved quite a bit in his sleep, resulting in him usually waking up in an intricate, uncomfortable-looking position. He even ended up rolling off of the bed and impacting the floor below when he was younger. Ironically, he was also quite the heavy sleeper. Some mornings, not even his Chatot's uproar could not rouse him out of his slumber.

Strolling to a nearby window, he flung back the curtains to get an assumption of the time of day. The sun was still in the process of rising, causing the sky surrounding it to offer hues of pink and orange, slowly fading as they spanned out until the rest of the sky was a dark shade of blue. Barry had always been an early riser - almost always jumping out of bed without hesitation to get his day started. It didn't matter what tasks were ahead of him that day - if there were any tasks at all - he was always more than ready to embark on the adventures that the dawn of a new day brought.

Getting ready never took him long. He wasn't vain or narcissistic, so in the time it took some people to pick out clothes and style their hair, Barry was already marching out of his house. Today was no different, and he was out of his pajamas and ready for whatever the day's events would bring about in record timing. Of course, his swift movements lead to clumsiness, and he almost always knocked over multiple objects in his haste to get reading the morning, leaving the majority of his room's floor to be almost hidden from view. After all, who had the time to waste cleaning up, when you could be out having the time of your life?

Slamming his bedroom door shut behind him, he hurriedly shuffled down the stairway, squinting to see in the house's darkness. The still low-risen sun had provided little to no natural lighting, and the place was engulfed in darkness. The blonde ended up blindly stumbling throughout the house until he finally wandered towards the exit, ineptly ramming various body parts on furniture as he moved. Swinging the front door back, he continued to speedily saunter out of the house, a grin finding its way onto his excited face.

_Thud! _

His nose collided with a harsh surface that sent him stumbling backwards, faltering his balance and causing him to yelp in surprise. What was it _thi_stime? This was the umpteenth time that Barry had blindly wandered into an object that day, and the sun hadn't even fully risen yet. He raised a tentative hand to inspect his sore nose, only to freeze when his eyes rested on what he had crashed with. "Dawn! What the heck was that all about?!"

The bluenette was sheepishly caressing her forehead with a dainty hand. Her forehead had a vibrant pink mark in the center of it, contrasting heavily with her somewhat pale skin. Her doll-like features were twisted into a scowl as she winced in pain. When she heard Barry cry out her name, she allowed her hand to drop to her side as she gave him a warm smile. "Barry! Good morning! How are – oh my goodness!"

"What?" Barry raised a blonde eyebrow at her stunned expression, watching with puzzlement as her gray eyes widened and her mouth dropped. She cupped her hand over her mouth to avoid blatantly gaping at her friend, but continued to relentlessly stare.

"Y-You're bleeding!" She notified him, gesturing towards his still aching snout. Upon hearing her words, he brought a hand to messily rub at the tender flesh, before quickly analyzing his hand for any traces of blood. Surely enough, there were tiny smears of the crimson liquid on his palm. He must have ran into Dawn harder than he had originally anticipated. It wasn't unusual for Barry to have head-on collisions with various people due to his hasty nature, but he rarely ever drew blood from such an incident.

"It's okay," he reassured her, dismissing the incident with the flick of his wrist; however, her concerned expression remained as she gave him a caring glance. He had to stop himself from sighing when she frowned at his reply. If there was one thing he had learned about the kind girl by the limited time they spent together, it was that she literally would not stand for someone she knew getting hurt. She'd worry and fuss over it until something was done for the injury, whether it be emotional or physical. The only thing he found a worthy defense would be distracting her. "What are you doing out in Twinleaf Town this early?"

Her face lit up at his question, and her eyes brightened. She had to have gotten up earlier than even Barry to have made the trek from her home in Sandgem Town to Twinleaf Town. "Oh! That's right – I almost forgot: My father told me that Professor Rowan wants us to deliver some parcels to some of his colleagues in the region. They're for spreading new findings on Pokemon research, I think… We'll have to stop by Professor Rowan's lab to ask him where we need to go-"

"Then what are we waiting for?!" Barry boomed, his voice echoing against the deserted streets of the suburban town. Excitement replaced pain and confusion as his grin returned full-wattage on his face. The last time Professor Rowan had sent them on a mission, Barry ended up collecting all eight of the Sinnoh League badges, as well as make it into the Top 16 of the Pokemon League Finals. If this task was at least half as exhilarating as the previous, Barry wouldn't hesitate in embarking on the quest. "Let's head to Sandgem Town! You better be there, or I'll fine you!"

He didn't even wait for her reply as he abruptly dashed off, leaving his house's front door wide open and Dawn standing there with a bewildered expression. Houses and clusters of trees alike whizzed by in a blur as he sprinted towards Route 201, which was almost like a backyard to the citizens of Twinleaf Town. The Pokemon there were usually fearful of humans, and rather scurried away from them rather than participating in confrontation, so Barry and Lucas both spent most of their days as little kids climbing the massive trees, having snowball fights, and swimming in the ponds in the route.

"_Barry!_ Wait up!" Dawn's distant pleas for him to slow his pace went unnoticed by the blonde as his legs continued to pump on energy produced by pure curiosity and enthusiasm.

* * *

Sandgem Town was a little further than a stone's throw away from Twinleaf Town, if one knew the right shortcuts and paths to take to make speedier transportation between the two towns. It took some intricate maneuvering in between an abundance of trees and vines, but it was fairly easy for anyone to grow accustomed to taking a more efficient path. Barry was bulleting into the city limits of Sandgem Town in minutes, with the sun still appearing to be dwelling in the horizon, like it was earlier.

While the town was considered "small," with a population of around one thousand, it was still legions larger than Twinleaf Town. At the very least, it contained the basics of any Sinnoh city – a Pokemon Center and a Pokemart that offered assistance to travelling trainers, something that Twinleaf Town lacked. The small town actually got a large dosage of said trainers daily, as Sandgem Town also served as the home to the worldly renowned Professor Rowan, Sinnoh's Pokemon Professor. Despite it being before sunrise, citizens were still strolling about, whether they had been on their way to work or already beginning the day's chores.

Barry had the ability to easily locate Rowan's lab, due to having visited it so frequently. It was on the western side of the town, directly beside the Pokemon Center and less than ten minutes away from Dawn's home. He had visited the lab multiple times throughout his Pokemon journey, although he never seemed to remain there for longer than ten minutes. Professor Rowan was a stoic man that some labelled intimidating or scary, but Barry was only impressed with how he had the stamina and ability to travel and train until his old age. Had he been a faster-paced oldster, Barry would have been interested in training with him, as well as being taught by him.

Flinging the door of the main lab entrance open, Barry didn't hesitate in beginning to quickly march through the building, making a beeline towards the place he knew Rowan resided in the lab. Barry shouted a greeting as he went, which resonated through the building like thunder. It grabbed the attention of almost all of the lab assistants that were there at such an hour, and they either returned a greeting, smile warmly, or just gave him a bewildered glance before returning to their duties. Most Pokemon Professors kept assistants with friendly natures so to avoid intimidating novice trainers that were unfamiliar with Pokemon and other trainers alike.

"Good morning, Barry." A warm voice made Barry freeze mid-step as he jerked his head to analyze the speaker. The utterer revealed themselves to be a beaming woman with neatly combed pastel green locks. Pushing her red-rimmed glasses further back on her nose, her smile grew at being noticed. "Did Dawn tell you about Professor Rowan's-"

"Yep! I sped over here as soon as I heard!" He interrupted, vigorously nodding in reply. He was literally jumping out of his skin with impatience, but Roseanne had always been a kind girl, and he'd end up feeling guilty if he simply brushed her off and ignored her greeting. Rowan's assistants had been nothing but kind to him since he first burst into the lab almost one year ago, almost demanding a starter Pokemon. More than one of them actually volunteered to demonstrate to him how to catch Pokemon and heal them when he wasn't near a Pokemon Center, although he sprinted off before even accepting their tutelage. The least he could do was listen to them talk. "Where is the old man, anyway?"

"Researching upstairs, as usual," Roseanne sighed, brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear as she spoke. "He works so hard… You think he'd want to retire after sixty years of Pokemon research. After all, his body has probably inevitably slowed down over the years."

The utterance of Rowan withdrawing from Pokemon research made the blonde give the assistant a look of incredulity. The greenette froze when she saw his bewildered expression, before breaking out into sheepish laughter. "Of course, we all know that isn't his nature! I was just saying – most older men would be yearning to wind down and-"

"_Bar-ry!"_ A voice dripping with exasperation interrupted the woman mid-sentence as the two conversers directed their eyes at the entrance, where the noise had originated. Dawn was standing there, double over as she attempted to get her heartbeat back to its normal sped. No doubt she had been sprinting the entire time in a petty attempt to catch up to Barry's long strides, but to no avail. She lifted her flushed face to give him a small frown as she slowly began to stumble to where the two stood. She spoke between gasps of air, making it difficult to decipher what she was saying. "Why… didn't… you… wait for me?"

"There's no time for waiting!" He hastily replied, turning on his heel to speed towards the staircase that led to the second story of the building, with Dawn's sheepish footsteps frantically following him. The entire place looked like the prime example of a lab described in a storybook or generically drawn in a children's cartoon. With pristine white walls with matching tiled flooring, bookcases littered the place, and computers were just as abundant. It was also brightly lit, to ensure that anyone with blurred vision or poor eyesight could easily read information or make accurate measurements. There were also shelves with test tubes, forceps, microscopes, and other scientific materials used for experimentation. Barry, however, never took the time to notice these things.

Roseanne had been correct, Rowan was doing his favorite pastime – research. Along with another assistant, he was carefully analyzing an oddly-colored Pokemon egg. It was kept in a futuristic-looking machine, which could be assumed to be an incubator. They appeared to be very in-depth into what they were discussing, tuning out any distractions around them. Nonetheless, both he and his assistant's scientific jargon was interrupted by Barry's disruptive voice.

"Alright, Professor Rowan," he grinned, practically running towards the elderly man. Of course, Rowan was dressed in the stereotypical attire of a scientist, clad in a bright white lab coat going past his knees and almost touching his oxfords. Even his beard and hair matched the color scheme of his outfit. "What did you need us for?!"

The professor paused, as he always did when Barry came bursting into his laboratory, and gave the blonde adolescent a perplexed glance before returning with a reply. "Hmph! I see you're both very… energetic today."

Barry bobbed his head up and down, a motion done so vigorously that a few stray blonde strands fell in front of his eyes. Attempting to set them back into place with heavy puffs of breath, he didn't notice when a still heavy-breathing Dawn staggered beside him to hear Professor Rowan's instructions. Barry didn't even notice that everyone in the room's eyes were on him. His mannerisms and principles were so child-like, that anyone could mistake him for just some ignorant kid rather than a powerful Trainer.

Professor Rowan cleared his throat loudly, to snatch everyone's attention – including Barry's – back to him, as well as effectively breaking an awkward silence. As he done this, Barry noticed a beige business envelope that was tightly nestled tightly in between his fingers. The envelope was bulky, as if it were bursting with hundreds of sheets of paper. "Ahem… The reason I have gathered you two here today is due to me recently reaching a new milestone in my research on Pokemon evolution involving the process a Pokemon will take to adapt if they were thrust into an unfamiliar environment. I take pride in sharing this knowledge with my colleagues, so that they may reach new bounds of intelligence..."

_Why is he rambling? Tell us where we need to go, already!_ Barry was standing on edge with anticipation, his eyes growing wider with every word that Rowan spoke. If the old man didn't hurry up, he'd probably be subject to Barry's impatience, and the boy would end up dashing off somewhere without direction. Honestly, it wouldn't be the first time. Unbeknownst to Barry, he had even ran off before Rowan could appoint him with a Pokedex the first time he visited the lab.

"I need you two to carry my research parcel to Eterna City," he finally stated, as if he had read Barry's thoughts. "A professor from a different region is residing there in order to gain information on Pokemon in a land foreign to him. His address is on the front of this envelope, so locating his home should not be difficult."

Barry's jaw went slack in disappointment. Delivering a package wasn't anywhere near the tasks that Barry had contemplated Rowan appointing them. Normally, he was understanding enough to know that the latest Pokedex holders (including Barry) were adventurous, and were always seeking out _invigorating, exciting_ things to occupy their time. Eterna City? That was it? Couldn't he have just asked one of his eager assistants to do this task?

"You can count on us, Professor Rowan," Dawn smiled, taking the envelope out of Rowan's grasp while giving a curt nod. It was best she be the receptacle of the parcel. Barry was infamous for losing things in the blur he lived in, to the point of even misplacing his Pokeballs one afternoon in Canalave City. He seldom wasted time worrying over such things; however, he spent hours that day looking for the Pokeballs (which ended up being on the desk in his hotel room).

"Come on, Dawn!" The blonde abruptly exclaimed, reaching for her slender wrist to grasp in his hand. Upon his touch, her cheeks became dusted a light shade of pink as he practically began to drag her away in a comical fashion, with her shyly stammering objections as they went. "We've gotta get to Eterna City to give that Professor the research!"

Their footsteps echoed throughout the building as Barry guided Dawn downstairs. The girl's face began to burn more profusely as the blonde's grip on her wrist gently tightened. "B-Barry! We don't have to go running off like this! We… We don't have a time limit or anything!"

"But why would we waste precious time lazing around?! C'mon, Dawn! We're burning daylight!"

* * *

"Man, I love it here!"

A grin tugged at the corners of Dawn's lips as she watched Barry gaze around the scene with shining amber eyes. All around them, time seemed to move in a pace faster than the one that Barry spent his time living in. The sun had already made its rising known, and was now hanging lazily in the sky, although it was mostly concealed by the skyscrapers that adorned the streets of Jubilife City. Now that time had transitioned into mid-morning, more people had risen from their slumbers and were out and about – adding to the generic hustle and bustle of the largest city of Sinnoh.

The travelling trainers had managed to trek through Route 202 with no difficulty – the only trouble arousing from a minor scuffle in which Barry didn't want to stop and tend to a scrape on his elbow (due to his clumsiness on the trip). The injury was bleeding so abundantly that Dawn had ended up having to put her foot down and scold Barry into allowing her to dab away the fluid that trickled down his forearm. The blonde knew better than to object when she had raised her voice – Dawn seldom yelled, and when she did, it was in one's best interest to not go against her wishes.

Barry loved Jubilife City. The hazy lifestyle that its inhabitants resided in was just his cup of tea. If it didn't mean ditching all of his companions in Twinleaf Town, as well as his closeness to the scenic Lake Verity, he would have packed up and relocated there years ago. Each time he visited the city, he had to stop briefly and gawk at how interesting the place was.

"It never gets old, huh?" Dawn smiled as she began to stroll alongside Barry on the already-crowded city street. There was a glint in her silver eyes as she continued, obviously fascinated by the place as well. "Even though we've both been here dozens of times, we're always left excited by how large this city is."

The blonde nodded enthusiastically, his amber orbs analyzing anything and everything around them. Flashy signs were advertising clothing sales and deals on battle items, and the shops that held in-store stereos allowed the volume to be loud enough for the music to blare into the exterior of its perimeter. "There needs to be a gym or something here! That would make it even cooler! Whoa – check it out, Dawn! They have new running shoes in that shop!"

Dawn's grin grew at Barry's childlike excitement, gazing at him with fondness as he proceeded to gush over the sleekly-designed shoes in one of the shop's display windows. Although he was a bit impatient and absent-minded, she admitted that Barry's easily-amused nature was always a refreshing change of pace for the girl, who was always under the pressure of people in the Pokemon Contest industry. Being a coordinator meant having judges and coaches constantly picking at every little detail, no matter how insignificant it may be. Seeing someone whose day would be brightened just by visiting a nearby town actually occasionally caught her off guard.

Over the city ambiance, she heard a muffled groan erupting from an alleyway to the right of her. She raised an eyebrow in curiosity, but shook off the noise as a figment of her imagination. Thousands of things seemed to be going on around her, and her ears could have easily been deceived. However, when she heard it repeat itself at a louder volume, she averted her gaze from Barry's fit of excitement and tuned her ears towards the nearby alley. It was shrouded in darkness, and was seemingly deserted. Maybe she _had_ been hearing things.

When she saw something stir in the shadows, she felt herself tense. What was out there? Did she _want _to know? Curiosity got the best of her as Dawn slowly inched towards the alley with heavy uncertainty weighing on her narrow shoulders. It was times like these that she had to remind herself that she was a Pokemon trainer – er, coordinator – and that she had Pokemon to help her defend herself. Even if the moving figure was a city thug, like her mind was telling her, then fending him off shouldn't have been any trouble. Then again, it could have been anything. What if it were an injured Pokemon?

That thought made her curiosity peak as she began to take longer strides to where she saw the form move, having to squint for her wide eyes to adjust to the sudden dim lighting. She scanned the area for a moving object, but her search was quickly put to a halt when she saw an older man sprawled out on the asphalt.

She had to cup a hand over her mouth to retain from gasping as she continued to stare. This… This couldn't have been a corpse. It had just been moving. Then again, could her eyes were deceiving her? Thousands of questions ran through her mind as she continued to examine the man. He had a gaudy-looking hairstyle, and his clothing was flashy and brightly colored. He lied face-down, so his expression went unseen by Dawn. However, she imagined it being filled with discomfort – pain, even.

"B-Barry…" She mumbled, warily poking the slump of neon with her boot. It stirred lightly again, making her jump. They were still alive, after all! Still taking consideration into her actions, she extended an arm and gripped what she assumed was the shirt's collar, lifting up their body with moderate difficulty. This person was heavy, no, brawny. What drove them to passing out in an alley in Jubilife City?

"What is it, Dawn?" The blonde's chipper voice filled her ears, and she knew that she was still out of his sight. His footsteps grew closer, as he continued to speak to her. She remained silent, still struck with shock. "Did you find a stay Skitty?"

Turning to face him as he rounded the corner, person in hand, she gave him a sheepish glance as she held out the redhead. "Um, no."

She bit the inside of her jaw as she witnessed Barry's expression transition from that of curiosity to that of utter shock, his shining eyes widening and his mouth almost hitting the concrete below. The blonde felt all of the blood drain from his face as he stifled jumping back in astonishment, knowing that that would such an act would be synonymous with fear, and he was _not_ afraid. Just… shocked. Only one clear thought stuck out of the blur of things that were racing through his mind. If they left the guy, and pretended that nothing ever happened, then nothing would be amiss, right? Right.

"P-Put him back where you found him!"

"That's inhuman, Barry!"

* * *

**I plan on Team Galactic rearing their synthetically pastel heads in next chapter. This story follows the Galactic plot in Platinum rather than Diamond and Pearl, in case you're wondering. I originally intended to get this chapter out Saturday night, but couldn't get around to finishing it by then. Hopefully, this Sunday evening update will suffice.**

**Fun fact: Believe it or not, Roseanne is not an OC. She's an **_**extremely**_** minor character in Platinum who is, yes, one of Rowan's assistants. **

**Shout-out to MagmaLava, this story's first reviewer! It meant a lot to get a review within the first 24 hours of posting something as petty as the prologue!**


	3. The Million Dollar Promise

**Chapter Two**

_|"Men who just sit around doing nothing are boring."|_

* * *

"Ah, thanks! You really saved my ass, there!"

The two adolescents watched in awe as the redhead continued to shove a hearty mouthful of rice into his wide mouth. He rapidly consumed the remaining contents of the serving plate, adding to the growing pile of empty dishes that he had scraped clean. As soon as the teenagers managed to rouse him out of unconsciousness, all he could muster up the energy to do was repeatedly mutter "hungry… hungry…" How long he had lied there until Dawn discovered him was unknown to both of them, but based on how swiftly he was scarfing down every edible substance that the menu had to offer, he had probably been there for a prolonged period of time.

Never, in Barry's entire sixteen years of living, had he seen one human being eat so much. The strange man's appetite seemed to threaten that of a Snorlax's, and he proved it by not hesitating to shout out another refill to the chef in the diner where they were dining. He paused only to exclaim remarks of gratitude, and to wash down some of the food with a few swallows of water.

The diner they had decided to dine in was one of the smaller buildings of Jubilife, with available seating only consisting of booths lining the walls, each table had a similar theme, with bright orange tables, cherry red booth seating, and various condiments resting on the end of the tables. The rest of the restaurant had a similar design, with yellow tinted walls and tangerine tiled flooring. In the midst of the brightly lit eatery was a wide bar where one could sit if a booth was unnecessary or unwanted, complete with bright red stools. The diner seemed to possess the same energetic vibe that emanated from the rest of the large city.

"Um… I don't mean to be rude, but, I feel like I've seen you before… Are you, perhaps, a Pokemon coordinator?" Dawn spoke slowly, skeptical about speaking to the man. Based on his actions and his dress, he came off as quite eccentric. There was no telling how he would react to a probe into his identity.

Her question sent the young man into a light fit of laughter as he finished off yet another tray of assorted food. He shook his head, his vibrant red curls bouncing at the rapid movement. "No, no, of course not! But, I _did_ had a girlfriend that was a coordinator once, though, but that didn't end well. She ended up running off to Kanto! Something about 'clinginess…'"

As the man continued to ramble about his failed relationships, Barry's eyes narrowed. Dawn was right. The man_ did_ look familiar. The blonde allowed his mind to race back to every battle, every encounter that he had with various trainers for the last nine months, to see if he vaguely remembered the guy. Despite not being a veteran trainer, Barry had crossed paths with hundreds of trainers across the vast Sinnoh region, from the northern tip of Snowpoint City to the darkest cave of Mount Coronet. Surely, if the man was a Pokemon Trainer, the blonde could have seen him somewhere before. His mind wound up blank, but continued to wrack his brain nonetheless. _Who is this guy?_

The man placed another empty bowl on the table, causing a loud clank that snapped Barry and Dawn out of their thoughts. A content sigh escaped his lips as he finally leaned back in the booth where the three resided, with Dawn and Barry sitting across from him. Dawn raised an eyebrow, slightly taken aback by the fact that the man was _finally_ full, or so it seemed. Moments passed in silence as Dawn shifted uncomfortably in her seat, pondering what to say.

"Your treat, right?" The man finally asked, causing both Barry and Dawn's gazes to be jerked back to face him. He flashed them a toothy grin dripping with hopefulness as he leaned over expectantly. To him, it was an obvious request. After all, he clearly had no money. If he had, then he wouldn't have been ignorant enough to allow himself to pass out from hunger. Of course, they'd understand completely, and would pay without hesitation or objection.

"H-hey!" Barry abruptly blurted, making the bluenette beside him jump and for the man to raise his eyebrows. The blonde fearlessly began to glare at the man as he melodramatically gestured towards the oversized pile of empty plates on the edge of the wide table. "Do you realize how much you ate?! I never said I was paying, anyway!"

"Barry! Don't say that!" Dawn snapped, giving the blonde an intimidating frown. Almost as soon as she uttered the command, Barry reluctantly snapped his mouth closed and leaned back into the booth's plush cushions with folded arms. Dawn may have been the epitome of a lady in public, and seldom acted crudely to anyone, but the blonde knew when not to go against her wishes. She may have acted dainty, but she could really pack a punch when necessary. "Sorry about that, sir!"

Throughout the exchange, Flint seemed oblivious to the hostility in Dawn's eyes when she had scowled at Barry, and continued to relentlessly beam. He nodded, eying the two teenagers with ambitious gray eyes as he dismissed the debacle with the wave of his hand. "Don't stress over such a minor thing! I just feel lucky to have found some kind people in a foreign part of the region!"

"The 'foreign part of the region'?" Barry echoed, averting his gaze to focus on the redhead yet again. Despite being a fairly vast land with areas ranging from sunny beaches to snowy mountains, most inhabitants of Sinnoh knew every corner and crevasse like the back of their hand. That is, unless they were almost foreign to the concept of travelling. "You're not from around here, then?"

"Nope! I'm from the northwestern part of the region – the Survival Area, to be specific! Wait, you two _really_ don't know who I am?"

When the redhead gave them a look that could only be described as a mixture of confusion and surprise, the two shook their heads as they waited for him to continue speaking. Upon their reply, he dramatically jerked his thumb towards his chest as he introduced himself. "I'm Flint – from the Sinnoh League's Elite Four!"

Dawn and Barry's jaws simultaneously dropped as they gazed at the man with shock emanating from their wide eyes. _That_ was why he had seemed so familiar. Memories began to flash in Barry's mind of the hundreds of press conferences and interviews broadcasted on television, with Elite Four members as the guests of honor. Had he made it further in the Pokemon League, Barry would have gotten the opportunity to encounter and battle Flint, as well as the other Elite Four members. He vaguely remembered seeing the man at the Sinnoh League, showing a ridiculous stunt to his colleagues.

"Y-You're from the Elite Four…" Dawn squeaked, suddenly growing timid. Members of the Sinnoh League were viewed as the region's pride and joy, and as a result, surpassed the fame and fortune that even a Pokewood superstar possessed. It was a wonder how Flint's presence in Jubilife City had gone unnoticed by Sinnoh Now's news screw, or that no one had yet to recognize him. Being in the wake of such a famous face, for some very stupid reason, made Dawn's face flush pink.

"I remember you, now!" Barry loudly shouted, pointing his index finger accusingly at Flint from where he sat. Flint's grin grew as he gave the blonde a look of bemusement, entertained by how the two reacted to his presence. "Hey… I entered the Sinnoh League, too! My name is Barry! Lucas, the new Champion… He's mine and Dawn here's best friend!"

Barry and Lucas grew up idolizing Elite Four members and Gym Leaders alike. Watching them battle on television and reading about their tasks in published works always left them awestruck. It gave them faith that there was a possibility that, someday, they could be in those same positions, if not better ones. Throughout their childhoods, the two boys hoped and dreamed of meeting their role models, and to get the opportunity to battle them. Anticipation began to pump through Barry' s veins at the thought of fulfilling that dream.

Placing his elbows on the table's smooth surface, Flint raised his eyebrows in interest. It was rare that he encountered an entrant from the Pokemon League, other than the Champion. Better yet, it was extremely irregular for him to meet the family or friends of a Champion. It wasn't that he didn't have an interest in his coworkers' lives; it just never came up. "You're friends of Lucas? Man, that kid… He's really the prodigy everyone says he is. Even Lucian isn't as smart as him."

No one in the Sinnoh region could argue with that statement. From birth, Lucas had been blessed with awe-worthy intelligence. Getting the highest marks in the Trainer's School was just the tip of the iceberg. He had a knack for concocting battle strategies and training techniques in record timing. He never stuck with a single tactic when it came to battling, and always mixed things up – no two battles with him were ever the same, and that was the very reason Barry enjoyed battling with his childhood friend so much. It was always interesting to see which plans he was able to construct in his mind, in a matter of seconds. Strangely enough, Lucas never spent too much time studying. In fact, the only times Barry could recall him rereading a paragraph in a book, or review questions for an exam, was when the bluenette was trying to help his friend avoid failing Trainer's School.

"W-What brings you to the Jubilife City, F-Flint?" After attempting to swallow her timidity several times, Dawn was finally able to stammer a question to ask the Elite Four member. She nervously fumbled with a loose sting of fabric on her miniskirt, fighting the urge to rip the fabric out of its sewn-in location, and hoping no one had noticed the flaw. Petite faults in her outfits that went unnoticed by others drove her up a wall. It was a coordinator thing, she supposed.

The redhead had to ponder her question for a moment, thoughtfully stroking an imaginary beard on his chin, before finally seeming satisfied with a reply. "I wanted to train on Iron Island with Byron, and the only ferry that goes by there is in Canalave City."

Dawn blinked, analyzing the man's actions with nothing short of confusion dancing in her silver eyes. She had always assumed that celebrities exaggerated their personalities while on camera, just for the very feature of being admired by the audiences watching from their bedrooms at home. At least, that was the very tactic that most Pokemon coordinators practiced. While cameras were rolling, they put on a sweet, cheerful front, always smiling and supporting their competition. However, when they were alone with each other, the only word that Dawn could use to describe them was "bitchy." Those rocky experiences led her to believe that _all_ superstars put on similar conceited acts. Clearly, she had been proven wrong. Flint was as bizarre as he acted on television. "Uh-huh… Who's Byron?"

"Geez, Dawn!" Barry blurted, directing his wide eyes to the girl to give her an incredulous look. She sheepishly shrugged in defense. It wasn't her fault that she didn't know Sinnoh's famous trainers – she had been brought up only knowing of renowned coordinators and idols. "Byron is Canalave City's Gym Leader!

She couldn't help but glare at Barry for his interruption. She knew that he hadn't intended for his words to sound as exasperated as his tone exhibited, but that didn't stop her from being annoyed. Barry seldom purposely uttered an offensive word out of spite – it just wasn't his nature. However, it _was_ his nature to be completely clueless. _We're in front of an Elite Four member, for Arceus' sake!_ She silently fumed. _Could you _be_ more embarrassing, Barry?! _An exasperated sigh escaped her lips before she proceeded, knowing that it was hopeless to get frustrated with the boy.

"But, I thought all Gym Leaders and Elite Four members were supposed to be in Jhoto for some kind of event?" She continued to ask questions without missing a beat, genuinely interested in conversing with Flint. It had taken much time, patience, and willpower, but she had taught herself to ignore some of the more irritating things that Barry would say. At least Lucas and male coordinators had the decency to be polite and considerate.

"What?!" Flint let a shocked gasp escape his lips as his expression quickly transitioned from a mellow smile to a look of bewilderment. "You mean to tell me that I'm supposed to be in Jhoto right now?! Why didn't anyone tell me about this?!"

"You mean you didn't hear about it?" Barry furrowed his brows, taken aback by Flint's unawareness of what was going on. He doubted that the redhead was really that out of touch with his coworkers, but who would be oblivious enough to not even notice that all other members of the Sinnoh League were gone? The blonde directed his eyes at Dawn for the two to share a confused gaze. She was just as baffled as he was, as her mouth was slightly ajar as she gaped at Flint with slightly widened eyes.

The Elite Four member shook his head, his face faintly paling at the thought of missing out on such an event. He quickly rose to his feet, messily throwing together an idea in his mind. Barry and Dawn watched his movements with curiosity, wondering what he was going to do with the newfound information. Instead of simply brushing off the news, or making a note to talk to a coworker about it later, he spontaneously began sprinting towards the exit of the diner, shouting as he went. "I've gotta get to Jhoto – fast!"

"Hey! You get the hell back here!" Barry countered, and begun to chase after the young man almost as soon as he had left the booth. He had seen their waitress briskly approaching their booth with a petite sheet of paper in her hand, and there was no doubt in his mind that it was the bill with a pricey total scribbled on the bottom. "You've gotta pay for this!"

"Barry, stop being so rude!" Not for the first time that day, Dawn had to raise her voice at Barry as she trailed behind the blonde. Barry was so persistent – there was a high chance that he would continue to chase Flint around the city, shouting obscenities and causing a ruckus. She vividly remembered when a similar event occurred, in which the impulsive trainer spent hours sprinting around Pastoria City to track down a Pokemon that had escaped from a Safari Zone Pokeball. The Sinnoh Police Force would have probably gotten involved - he was disturbing the peace - had Dawn not somehow managed to worm their way out of any trouble.

Upon hearing Barry's command, Flint froze mid-step and pivoted on his heel to face Barry with a toothy grin. Barry, who had already established his swift speed, had his balanced faltered as he had to abruptly bring himself to a halt to avoid colliding with the redhead. Flint have him a wistful smile, oblivious to Barry's menacing glare as he sheepishly rubbed his nape. "Oh, right. Sorry, I almost forgot. I don't have much money with me, but I do have a rare item on me!"

Barry watched with shifty eyes as Flint reached into his pants pocket, ready to dash after him if the redhead was trying to fool him. All wariness subsided, however, when a gleaming Fire Stone was revealed from Flint's baggy pants' pocket. What appeared to be a tiny flame was in the center of the auburn-colored, translucent stone. Despite being in the Elite Four member's pocket for a supposedly long period of time, it appeared to be polished and without any blemishes. Flint placed stone in one of Barry's hands with a wink. "It'd make a nice present for your girlfriend over there."

It wasn't the first time someone had suggested that he and Dawn were in a relationship, but that didn't stop it from making Barry uncomfortable each time it was spoken. For some odd reason, people always found childhood friends being synonymous with a lifelong couple. That may have happened in books and films, but this was reality, and it _certainly_ wasn't going to happen to him and Dawn, of all people.

Flint's advice made the blonde's breath hitch as he jerked his head to see if Dawn was within earshot. With an embarrassed smile on her face, she was speaking with their waitress on the other side of the restaurant. She must have felt Barry's amber eyes boring into her skull, because she momentarily averted her gaze from the chattering waitress to give him a glance. Almost impulsively, he turned away with a burning face. "S-She's not my girlfriend!"

"And that's _my _fault?" The redhead shrugged, chuckling at Barry's reddened face as he replaced his hand back into his pocket. If there was one thing he loved doing in his free time, it was teasing people, and Barry was just too good of a candidate to pass up. "You had better make your move, kid. If you don't hurry, someone else'll snatch her up, and then it'll be too la-"

"Don't think you're going to get out of this so easily! I want my money back!" Barry interrupted, more than eager to change subjects. His retaliation made Flint's face fall as he glanced at the younger boy with curiosity evident on his facial expression. Barry was no fool – Flint wasn't the first person he'd encountered who attempted to steer his attention away from the task at hand. If he thought he could get away with attempting to distract the blonde, Flint was sadly mistaken. He pointed an accusing finger at Flint to emphasis what he was about to declare. "If you're going to pay me back, you've gotta pay interest, too! The next time we meet – you better have one million dollars in your pocket!"

His proposition caught Flint off guard. He analyzed the youth's face for any indications of him joking. Barry's amber eyes were narrowed, his blonde brows furrowed, and his lips pursed to form a straight line on his face. He was serious. The redhead chuckled halfheartedly in an attempt to clear the air that quickly felt as if it were becoming tense. "You drive a hard bargain Barry… Tell you what! You go and become the Champion, and I'll pay back the dining bill – interest included – at the ceremony. Deal?"

"After all, you said something about being the Champion, don't you?" he continued, after a moment of silence passed. It was Barry's turn to be taken aback. His expression softened as he gave one of his role models a wide-eyed stare. The Elite Four member had his hand extended, for the purpose of the two men to shake on the suggestion of a compromise. There were no traces of sarcasm on Flint's beaming face, and Barry quickly realized that he believed in him. Flint hadn't even seen Barry handle his Pokemon, but still put his faith in him. He trusted that Barry could actually be the Champion.

Flint was observant when it came to Pokemon Trainers. Being a part of the Sinnoh League, Flint had seen trainers of all kinds – weaker ones, stronger ones, novice ones, experienced ones – and he had developed the ability to identify how ambitious and dedicated a Trainer was by simply engaging in conversation with them. The more spirited Trainers would bring up their dreams and speak of them with fondness, while the lesser interested ones wouldn't even touch the subject of Pokemon. Barry had brought up his goal within his initial introduction to Flint.

Had he not spoken to Barry, he still would have hypothesized that the blonde was a rare type of Trainer. There was fire in those shining amber eyes; a fire that could be ignited by the smallest spark, and would be nearly impossible to extinguish. He would know – his specialty was Fire-type Pokemon, after all.

Barry gripped Flint's hand in a firm handshake, giving him a competitive grin in the process. He hadn't spent much time thinking of his goal since Lucas's coronation as the Champion. Flint's words rekindled the ambition he had to be the greatest Pokemon Trainer there ever was. As a bonus, he also agreed to pay him his million, instead of engaging in a pointless argument.

"Deal."

* * *

The two trainers inched towards the northern outskirts of Jubilife City with opposing emotions stirring inside them. Meeting an Elite Four member definitely wasn't on the agenda for the day, when they had only expected to encounter a Professor from another region. Dawn didn't know whether to be pleased or disappointed. She always imagined Elite Four members to be stoic and sophisticated, but one five-minute conversation with Flint had instantly squandered that theory.

Due to their encounter, the entire morning had quickly slipped in between their fingers, and the temperatures had skyrocketed without their realization. The noonday sun was beating mercilessly down on them, and even in their thin clothing, both of their faces were flushed pink and clammy with perspiration. Being the largest city in Sinnoh, their trek through Jubilife City was taking close to an hour, and it seemed like the heat was growing more intense by the second. It honestly felt as if they were suffocating, especially since the streets were bursting with civilians pushing and shoving past them.

"It was really sweet of Flint to give us this Fire Stone," Dawn mused, shifting the evolution tool in between her hands. Upon Barry shoving it into her hands, she had been intrigued with the stone, and hadn't taken her eyes off of it for more than a second. The possibilities of the Fire-type Pokemon she could obtain were endless.

Barry paid no attention to Dawn's statement, messily rubbing at his clammy forehead in an attempt to cleanse it of perspiration. His attempt failed, as it only transferred the sweat from his forehead to his hand. He carelessly wiped his palms on the side of his pants. Looking around, he presumed in analyzing the signs and buildings that lined the streets. As morning had transitioned into noon, more shops had opened and more citizens roused out of their slumbers, adding to the already-packed streets. Everyone seemed to move at their own pace, without the limits of time pressuring them to quicken their pace or laze around. Directing his eyes at a digital clock on a holographic sign, his jaw dropped at the time it displayed. "Dawn! We've got to hurry!"

Without another word, the blonde hastily reached for Dawn's slender wrist, and began sprinting down the street without her consent. She winced as they squeezed in between people and nearly crashed into others. Barry's fast-paced lifestyle was something she still hadn't grown accustomed to, despite the duo being acquaintances for years. She understood that he was hyperactive in a way she had never seen before, but there was absolutely no reason for them to rush. She struggled greatly to wriggle out of his grasp, stuttering objections as they went. "No, Barry! There's no way that I'm sprinting all the way to Eterna City!"

"Why not?!" He loudly asked, freezing when he felt Dawn's wrist slip out of his hand. His balance faltered at the abrupt halt as he pivoted on his heel to give her a puzzled look. "We lost a lot of time helping Flint, and we have to make up for it!"

"Huh? No, we don't!" Dawn retorted, furrowing her brows at Barry's reasoning. The mere contemplation of running for such an elongated distance in the scorching temperature made Dawn shudder. They would inevitably end up collapsed on the edge of Route 204 – she knew Barry would want to keep racing until he collapsed.

Barry's eyes narrowed at her objections, and he folded his arms in a pouty fashion. He couldn't comprehend why anyone would want to waste time lazing around – especially when there was work to be done. This was exactly why he travelled alone. No one was willing to keep up with the impulsive boy, who could easily win a Pokeathlon single-handedly with his boundless energy. Frankly, he wasn't bothered by others' disdain for travelling with him. Others simply slowed him down, and slowing his pace by just a notch would make him feel as if he were close to detonating like a bomb.

Dawn sighed at his reaction, pinching the bridge of her nose in miner frustration. Losing patience with Barry was pointless – she had adapted to stifling any longings she had to start hollering at him. If he did catch her in a bad mood, however, she wouldn't hesitate in snapping at him. This would normally result in an earsplitting quarrel that could be heard from Snowpoint City.

"Are those the kids?"

A voice, somehow heard over the deafening city ambiance, snapped Dawn out of her sour thoughts. She scanned the area surrounding them, searching for the speaker. For some odd reason, it felt as if – whoever they were – they were speaking of her and Barry. The only individuals she perceived were women and men in business attire, children with candy, and other adolescents clad in street clothes. Had the day's earlier events not led to finding an unconscious Elite Four member, Dawn would have simply ignored the voices. Though, she allowed her curiosity to get the best of her, and continued to examine the street with furrowed brows. Barry, as usual, hadn't noticed anything.

"Dark blue hair, white hat… Blonde hair, striped shirt… Yes; they match the description."

_What?_ With a more perplexed visage, she scanned the area at a swifter pace. There was at least two of the speakers – and they were definitely referring to Barry and Dawn. She allowed her hand to rest on one of the Pokeballs in her pocket, something that become somewhat of a second reflex to her when she felt uneasy.

She jumped when she noticed two nearby people – one man and one woman – staring at them with dark eyes. They were wearing the strangest attire Dawn had ever seen outside of contests, with pristine white jumpsuits that resembled an astronaut's apparel. Both of their hair was colored a sickening green. Both of them wore smug smirks, that which grew into malicious smiles when they realized Dawn was aware of their presence. They simultaneously stepped forward, making Dawn impulsively take a step back. Even Barry had begun to catch wind of the ominous atmosphere, and turned towards the bluenette with a confused tone. "Dawn… Is something wrong?"

"Hello, children." The chilling voice made Dawn freeze, and Barry gazed at the man with widened eyes. Dawn seldom got uneasy feelings, but she suddenly regretted not agreeing with Barry's idea of sprinting to Eterna. Strangers in outlandish clothing wouldn't randomly approach a couple of teenagers without reason. They were undeniably up to something. "You must be the ones Professor Rowan sent out to deliver his research notes."

The mentioning of Professor Rowan only worsened Barry's confusion. Rowan's research was never a blatant secret, but he wasn't the type of man to shout his new discoveries from the rooftops for all to be informed of his knowledge. Unless they were professors from Rowan's lab, Barry saw no other way of how they could have known of the parcel. "Who are you two? And why are you dressed like freaks?"

The derogatory comment at the end of Barry's interrogation made the girl's face flush pink, but the male kept his composure. There was an air of professionalism in his tone as he continued. "You see, we are in dire need of those research notes, as they will act as a major contribution to a goal that will benefit all of Sinnoh. No, it will benefit the entire _universe._"

"Look at the looks on their faces. They don't understand anything you're saying," the girl piped up. She appeared to be younger than the man, and significantly petite in comparison. However, she might has well been a ferocious Mightyena, as the glare she gave Barry was utterly terrifying to the blonde. He anxiously shifted his weight, uncomfortable under the girl's stare. "Look, just give us the research notes and we'll leave you alone."

"_Who are you two?_" Dawn persisted in an angrier tone. She had a distaste for the two's attitudes – more specifically, the girl's. She placed a hand on her hip as she waited impatiently for a response. Before they could give a reply, however, she bombarded them with another question. "Why exactly do you want Professor Rowan's research notes? And how did you find out about them?"

"And why are you two dressed like spacemen?" Barry finished, still taken aback by their outlandish uniforms. Even their hairstyles were similar – a teal-green color with draping bangs. It was worn in different lengths, with the girl's cascading down to her waist and the man's shaggily resting on his shoulders. They weren't charismatic enough to be street performers, nor were they as cheerily aggressive as salesmen. Barry's eyes narrowed at the thought of willingly selecting the gaudy clothing as an outfit.

"My, aren't you to interrogative," the man sighed, revealing a basic Pokeball from behind his back. With the click of a button, it doubled in size as his smile grew into a demented grin. "I'll ask again. Please comply with our demands, or we will be driven to use force."

Dawn's mouth dropped upon sight of the Pokeball. They didn't even know who the man was, or what his intentions were, and he was already rearing to battle with them? She had encountered trainers who were haughty enough to just saunter up and randomly challenge her, but never had she witnessed someone do so this aggressively. In turn, without thinking, she revealed her own Pokeball, and enlarged its size as well. Barry was intently watching all of this with a stunned countenance. He broke the shortly-stunned silence with a loud shout, and surprised the man by breaking out into a wide grin. "You wanna battle, eh? Bring it! I'll take anyone on, anytime, anywhere!"

"Volunteering to receive defeat?" The man tossed the Pokeball into the air, revealing a malevolent Seviper from the string of bright light. Hissing its namesake, the Pokemon eyed his opponents with disgust. The girl mimicked his movements, and publicized a growling Houndoom. "This is a promising mission!"

"I wasn't expecting a battle!" Barry gleefully cheered, energetically throwing his own Pokeball. An excited Jolteon revealed itself, analyzing its surroundings with excitement. Its spiky fur was teeming with electricity, and short sparks were even erupting from the static. "This is a great day!"

Barry, being a dedicated Trainer, lived for battles of any kind. Even the possibility of the mysterious duo being criminals or thugs didn't faze Barry when a battle was mentioned. The suspenseful matches were so invigorating and spontaneous that it could make even a slowpoke like Lucas go from zero to sixty in three seconds. To Barry, such fortification was what it meant to be alive – taking risks and depending on your wits were essential in order to emerge victorious. Still, when there winners, there were those that suffered a loss – and those who lost had room for improvement. It was as if you were showcasing your bond with your Pokemon, as well as your vigorous training sessions.

_You're not supposed to be glad over something like this,_ Dawn silently scolded the blonde, sighing for the umpteenth time that day. Reluctantly, she unveiled her own Pokemon – a stoic Milotic teeming with elegance. Barry's Jolteon chirped what Dawn supposed was a greeting to her Milotic, and it nodded in reply.

Despite battling not being her prime study, Dawn had picked up battling skills by training with Barry and Lucas. She didn't particularly like it, but not only was it part of Pokemon Contests, - she also found that it was impossible to discard either of her male friends when asked to assist them in training. Lucas would usually ask in such a gentlemanly way that she would feel heartless for rejecting him, and Barry was so abrasive that he simply wouldn't take no for an answer.

"Houndoom, use Flamethrower!" The tiny girl loudly commanded, tucking a strand of her pastel locks behind her ear. The Pokemon obediently barked, before shooting out blazing flames that launched straight for the teenagers. Before it had even halfway reached them, Dawn could feel the heat emanating from the attack.

"Solaris! Hydro Pump!" Dawn speedily called out, hoping that the Miltoic would be able to intercept the attack in time. Upon command, a harsh stream of water burst out towards the quickly approaching fire attack. Luckily, the Milotic's speed had been high enough to protect them from the blaze. The flames quickly reduced to mere puffs of steam that floated upward before swiftly vanishing into the atmosphere. The pumps of water persisted in spurting towards the mysterious duo, effectively dousing them in the liquid.

Upon impact, the girl immediately let out a string of profanity and lamented over her soaked hair, whilst the man simply barked out orders for his Seviper to attack Barry's unsuspecting Jolteon. "Use Bite, Seviper."

The dark Pokemon rapidly slithered towards the Jolteon with its fangs ferociously bore. Like Barry's Torterra, training had left his Jolteon skillfully agile and swift, and most of the training they had endured included how to react to surprise attacks. Without even thinking, the electric-type maneuvered out of the Seviper's path, darting off towards the side to wait for further instructions from Barry. "Nice dodge, Volt. Now, hit 'em with a Thunderbolt!"

The petite sparks dancing on the Jolteon's fur quickly increased in size as the electric-type darted towards the Seviper to attack at a closer range. Its entire body became immersed in vibrant yellow flashes of electricity, as the sparks made a beeline for the Seviper. Despite its hasty attempts at dodging, the attack harshly impacted the Seviper, and engulfed its entire body in a wave-like mass of electricity. The Seviper cried out in pain, grabbing the attention of many civilians passing by. A small crowd began to form in the shape of a circle around the battle, curiosity getting the best of the ambitious citizens. For most of them, witnessing an exciting battle would be the highlight of their day.

"Are those street performers?" One elderly woman inquired.

"Look, Mommy! A Jolteon!" A child cooed.

Having her precious fire-type drenched in water made the girl's face turn pink with rage, and she looked ready to scream. Her bratty attitude annoyed Dawn, as she and the man were the ones that had practically forced a battle upon them. She didn't even want to battle the girl – she didn't want to battle _anyone._ The bluenette just wanted to get the entire debacle over with as quickly as possible. "Solaris, hit him with Dragon Tail."

The Milotic muttered something in its native tongue, before bringing its majestic tail forward, and lunging at the still-recovering Houndoom. It paid no attention to the warnings shouted by the girl, nor did it notice the quickly advancing water-type's battle cry. Milotic's tail transitioned to a bright cyan color as it sharply whipped across the fire-type's left side. The shocking impact sent the Houndoom sailing backwards mid-air, towards his trainer behind him. It whimpered loudly in despair as it flailed its limb helplessly in a petty attempt to bring itself to a halt.

When she saw her Pokemon flying towards her, the girl's face paled as she scrambled to dodge the brawny Houndoom. Her attempts were futile, as the Pokemon practically tackled her petite form, and sent both of them crashing into the side of a local shop. Dawn winced at how excruciatingly painful the entire fiasco appeared to be, but was secretly anticipating that the attack had knocked out the Houndoom. The thought of prolonging a battle with such sickening human beings made her scowl.

Beside her, Barry was relentlessly calling out various moves for his Jolteon to inflict on the Seviper. It was shooting out sparks and tackling the Pokemon at such a boundless rapidity that it came off as a yellow blur scurrying around on the street. All that could be identified was the quickly-forming bruises on the Seviper's scaly skin, and how much it was twitching from all of the surges of electricity that seared through its body. Barry was bursting with excitement, still in disbelief that what he considered a boring task had resulted in such enlivening events. His grin had grown so wide that his shining amber eyes now resembled tiny slits on his face, and he was eagerly flailing his arms. Dawn had witnessed Barry battle before, and he always got this worked up no matter who he was going against. It was a practice that made him so elated that the mere mentioning of a battle made him erupt with eagerness. "Finish him off with a Volt Tackle, Volt!"

The Jolteon obediently began to bullet towards the Seviper at an immaculate speed, electric sparks shooting from its neon yellow fur as he maneuvered on the city street. The man desperately urged for his precious poison-type to dodge the incoming Jolteon, but to no avail as the electric-type attacked it with great force. It seemed evident that this was the final blow, as the Seviper let out its loudest cry that was dripping with agony and its slender form mimicked what had become of the Houndoom, and impacted the trainer behind him when it was struck backwards.

Both Pokemon were unconscious, their forms sprawled out on the sidewalk as they stirred lightly. As for the man and woman, they were caressing both of their skulls, grimacing in pain. The girl was the first to stand up straight, looking even more irate and menacing than before. Barry nervously took a step back. He may have been fearless when it came to certain situations and battles, but – to him – nothing was more frightening than an angry woman.

"You haven't seen the last of Team Galactic!" The girl angrily hissed, her fiery eyes flashing with rage behind her draping bangs. She looked ready to lung on both of them and start clawing at their faces with her manicured fingernails. Barry shuddered at the thought.

That was the last they heard of the two, as enlarged crowd quickly obscured them from view to approach and congratulate the victors of the battle. Some were even applauding their battling skills, and cheering loudly to express their enthusiasm. Barry's grin returned at full-wattage as he shyly rubbed at his nape, reveling in all of the glory. Living in Lucas' shadow for the past few months had left Barry with little fame or glory from inhabitants of the Sinnoh region, as Lucas got the most publicity for skillfully defeating Gym Leaders and other renowned Trainers. This was a rare event for the blonde, and he certainly didn't want to pass it up.

Dawn's mind, on the other hand, was still focused on the two outlandish people. She muttered thanks and gave those that spoke to her timid smiles as she squeezed through the crowd in an attempt to get to the place where the duo had landed. The crowd had grown considerably in size, and maneuvering around the different citizens proved to be a difficult task. Her curiosity fueled her to continue, as she wanted to question the two about their abrasive actions. She knew that she had to be quickly nearing the place where they had laid collapsed – they weren't standing too far away from them in the first place.

When she looked, they were gone.

* * *

**Flint and Barry's "promise" was inspired by the running gag of the rival in D/P/P always fining people one million dollars for being late. I hope that the Team Galactic battle wasn't very tedious; I'm still fairly new to writing battle scenes, or action scenes of any kind, for that matter. I really don't like writing them. As always, I lost interest in writing this as the chapter neared its end. Apologies!**

**In case you're wondering, this is how the Pokemon League in this story works: Trainers that are eligible to enter must engage in battle with one another, with the Top 32 being reduced to the Top 16, then that being reduced to the Top 8, Top 4, Top 2, until one Trainer is left as the victor of the trainer battles. After these, that one trainer is to face the Elite Four and, in the event that they defeat them as well, the Champion. If they win all said battles that they participate in, the trainer is - of course – crowned as the victor of the Sinnoh League.**

**Please write a review and tell me what you think. I apologize for taking so long to get this chapter down. Between studying for exams and attending various graduation ceremonies, I had little free time these past few weeks. However, I am now on vacation for the summer, so I plan on updating a bit more frequently, if possible. Plus, I wanted to keep my promise of having lengthy chapters (this one is close to 6,000 words – that's quite a lot, for me!).**

**Shout-out to Sarah-Manami, Sonya-Valentine, and Pokmn-Lover! Getting three reviews on one chapter made me beyond thrilled. I sincerely thank you for reading this far!**


	4. Promises of Tomorrow

**Chapter Three**

_|"I wonder why people make promises that they won't be able to keep."|_

* * *

Floaroma Town in early summer was, to say the least, beautiful.

Almost every square inch of the richly-soiled ground was filled with emerald-green grass, and flowers in every bright color imaginable. The flowers swayed in the wind, bobbing against each other as if they were whispering secrets, and petals that detached themselves danced in the gentle summer breeze. Townsfolk were spending their afternoon outdoors, with the adults participating in polite small-talk and the children frolicking with one another in the fields. Any Pokemon around were either sprawled out and napping on the warm ground or playing with the younger citizens. Twinleaf Town may have been somewhat scenic, with its majestic coniferous trees and large hills, but it had nothing on this breathtaking beauty.

The strange people in Jubilife didn't faze his pleasant mood, as he strolled through the nature-focused town with a smile on his face. In fact, the exhilarating battle with the mysterious duo in had left him in higher spirits, and he didn't even pressure Dawn into sprinting through Route 204 afterwards (he instead settled for a slower-paced jog).

Dawn would have been reveling in the beauty of the town, and cooing over the scenic floral meadows, had the encounter with those people not been weighing heavily on her mind. They had called themselves "Team Galactic," as if they were part of some type of association. Upon realizing that they had fled the city, Dawn had attempted to persuade Barry into calling Professor Rowan and reporting the event, but he stubbornly refused, dubbing it as time-consuming. The battle had left her mind swimming in overwhelmingly confusing thoughts, and had kept her unusually quiet in the commute to Floaroma Town. Thinking about the fiasco led to questions forming in her mind, and those questions branched off to more questions, and it continued to trail off until she gave herself a headache.

"I think my Jolteon and your Miltoic deserve a reward for battling so well," Barry nonchalantly declared as he stretched his limbs, snapping Dawn out of her thoughts. She paused to process what he was saying, before giving him an absentminded nod and a small smile. Barry was a firm believer in gratifying his Pokemon when they performed well in battle. Regardless of whether or not they had emerged victorious, Barry would do what he could to reassure them that they had done an unmatchable job, and that they had done their best. "Doesn't that flower shop in this town sell a lot of poffins?"

Dawn's silver eyes widened. She had let the famous family-owned business completely slip her mind. She normally would make a point of always visiting the shop so she could browse the newly stocked Pokemon accessories, seals, and sweets. As a bonus, the flower shop was probably legions cooler than the scorching outdoor temperatures, and the fresh aroma of flowers would possibly work as makeshift aroma therapy. Her smile grew at Barry's suggestion. "Yeah. You're right – we should stop by and look around!"

"Then what are we waiting for?!" The blonde exclaimed, linking arms with Dawn as he spoke. She braced herself, predicting what was about to happen. Just as she had assumed, Barry abruptly dashed off, practically dragging Dawn, and her nearly tripping in the process. Barry may have come off as unpredictable to those who were foreign to his eccentric personality, but he was almost like an open book to the citizens of Twinleaf Town. Thanks to Barry's stamina, the buildings and plants that adorned the streets of Floaroma Town whizzed by in a blur as they grew closer to the shop with each step taken.

To be honest, Barry didn't particularly like the shops in Floaroma Town – he really wasn't fond of the town as a whole, as the citizens were too laid-back for his liking. In fact, he abhorred the Pick a Peck of Colors Shop. The shop's floral odor was overwhelming, and the candy wasn't all that great, either. He may not have shown it, but he had taken note of Dawn's distant mood after the encounter with "Team Galactic." She was normally a very pleasant person to be around, making optimistic comments and almost always wearing a cheerful smile; however, her mood had done a complete 360, and she had fallen silent with a distant look in her eyes.

"Sir, you must listen to me!"

"Shut the hell up!"

Barry froze when the sounds of a commotion resonated through the town and blared in his eardrums. He stopped his speedy dash so abruptly, that he ended up stumbling violently and nearly falling over. Dawn, who still had her arm linked with the blonde, also ended up faltering in her balance, and had to be assisted by her friend to avoid tripping. Averting their attention towards the voices, their eyes simultaneously widened when they saw an irate, bulky man ready to pounce on another man clad in dark clothing.

The dark-clothed man nervously took a step back as he raised his hands in innocence. He appeared well aware of the other man's anger, and his face was scrunched up in slight fear. "B-But I just need to ask some questions about-."

He was cut off by more of the man's yelling, as he also dramatically flailed his arms to express his discontentment. Dawn and Barry stood, erect and unmoving, on the street and witnessed the scene with wide eyes. Carefully, Barry began to inch towards another nearby civilian who also seemed engrossed in the banter. He took note not to tread too closely to the men, to save himself the trouble of getting out of the way in the event a fight broke out. Tapping on the guy's shoulder to attract his attention, he spoke in a low tone so the enraged man would not hear. Based on his actions, how he would react about hearing gossip about himself would be unpredictable. "Excuse me, but… Can you tell us what's going on?"

"Some sidewinder from Celestic Town is talking nonsense," the citizen informed him with irritated frown on his weary face. He wiped at his sweaty brow before continuing with a thick Jhoto accent. "Sounds like he's just trying to get the townsfolk riled up. He's blabbering about some criminals that no one's heard of."

_Criminals?_ With narrowed eyes, Barry averted his gaze to return to the two bickering men again, and done so at just the right time to catch a glimpse of the muscular man aggressively pushing the other onto the ground. The man hissed more obscenities as he glared down at his victim with utter disgust, before pivoting on his heel and stalking away from the mysterious man, stabbing the dirt path with each step. The guy whom Barry had spoken to simply shook his head, muttering, and strolled away in a different direction, continuing to mutter to himself.

"Sir, are you okay?" Dawn was already kneeling down to assist the man, who was grimacing and gently caressing his lower back. He wore a brown trench coat, along with an inky black shirt and matching pants, matching shoes, and all of it was dusted with a layer of dirt. She frowned at the other man's insolence.

"I'm fine," he sighed, sheepishly grinning and rubbing his nape. After Dawn helped him back to his feet, he couldn't help but laugh halfheartedly underneath his breath. His russet eyes darted to follow the direction where his bully had stalked off with humor dancing in pupils. "It seems that I made him angry."

Barry, whom had approached the scene after the man stood, narrowed his eyes at the guy's observation. Scratching his scalp, as if he were deep in thought, he followed the man's gaze towards a dirt path that seemed to go for miles. "Yeah… What did you do to make him so mad, anyway?"

"Oh, excuse us!" Dawn suddenly piped up, smiling politely. She held out her hand for the man to shake as she introduced herself and Barry. "My name is Dawn, and this is Barry. We're travelling Trainers taking care of some business for Professor Rowan. "

Dawn ignored the confused look Barry threw at her direction. She had learned from her mother – Sinnoh's Top Coordinator back in the day – that being a people person was a key element to being a Pokemon coordinator. "People make people famous," she always quoted. She constantly reminded Dawn that she needed as many people to support her dreams as possible. That meant that others had to actually _know_ her name, so she attempted to always be the one to ignite a conversation with an introduction.

"You two are Pokemon Trainers?" Looker repeated, minor disbelief in his tone. Barry opened his mouth to reply, but was quickly interrupted by the continuation of the man's questions. The man forcefully took Dawn's hand and gave it an enthusiastic shake as he spoke. "That means that you've seen the entire region, correct? Have you seen any strange occurrences around these parts? I'm Police Officer Looker, a pleasure!"

_A Police Officer?_ Barry furrowed his blonde eyebrows at the man's various questions. The man wasn't wearing the stereotypical blue suit that most policeman wore on television and cartoons. In fact, he was dressed almost just as strangely as "Team Galactic." Barry also didn't believe for one second that "Looker" was his real name, whether it be a cover-up used to protect his identity while on the job, or it simply operated as a code name. As for his "strange occurrences" question, he didn't have to think too far back in his mind to concoct a reply. "A couple of strange people in Jubilife tried to attack us with their Pokemon! All because we didn't answer their questions! That's not the worst part, either. They were dressed like freaky spacemen! And then they disappeared!"

With each statement Barry theatrically declared, Looker's jaw grew closer to the ground. It was clear that, when he asked those questions, he wasn't expecting such a reply, and it caught him completely off-guard. His eyes increased to the size of saucers as he allowed for Dawn's hand to slip out of his grasp. "You were attacked?! How did you manage to get away unharmed?"

"We had our Pokemon with us, and we managed to defeat them," Dawn calmly replied, her hand falling back to her side. "We tried to follow them, but lost them in a huge crowd. We still don't know where they ran off to."

"I see…" Looker paused for a moment, a thoughtful expression on his tan face. He was soaking in the information like a sponge, trying to put the pieces of the story together in order to come to a conclusion. Realization quickly hit him like a bunch of bricks, and his face paled. "They didn't say anything about a 'Team Galactic,' did they?!"

Dawn and Barry nodded in unison, not even hesitating with their answers. Looker groaned loudly, slapping his forehead with his palm. "Are you sure you don't know where they went?! I really need to know! That group has been wreaking havoc all over Sinnoh for the past few weeks – although, it's mostly been on the western side of Mount Coronet. That's why I'm here! Please tell me you at least have an indication or, at the very least, a wild guess of their whereabouts! Anything would be helpful!"

Dawn's face fell at Looker's blatant desperation for the group's - apparently dubbed "Team Galactic" - whereabouts. Now it made sense why they were wearing matching attire – it was probably their "team's" uniforms. Being criminals or troublemakers would explain their unscrupulous attitudes. However, what would a bunch of delinquents do with petty research notes? Dawn wrinkled her nose at the contemplation of a criminal organization forming in the shadows of Sinnoh. She had heard tales of malicious gangs that would terrorize an entire region and throw the citizens into the depths of fear in hopes of ruling the land. Their plans would inevitably end up thwarted by a heroic trainer that single-handedly manages to defeat the majority of the gang's members, and is rewarded with fame and fortune for saving the region. She never believed such tall tales, though. It was impossible for someone to work alone against that many people.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Looker. We really have no idea where they went."

"Oh, geez! Officer Jenny is going to be furious!" Looker stressed, beginning to anxiously pace back and forth. From the way he acted, he was just as scatterbrained as Barry, and was trying to piece together what very little amount of information that was given to him to jump to hasty conclusions. "They could be anywhere in the region by now! I was assigned to bring an end to their shenanigans weeks ago! How am I going to explain this to the Chief?!"

"Don't bust a lung, Looker," Barry interjected, lowering hands to gesture calming down. "We just saw them this morning – they can't be too far away! Tell ya what: if we see anything on our way to Eterna City, we'll let you know! In fact, give us your XTransceiver number, and we'll call you if anything pops up!"

A smile tugged at the corners of Dawn's lips at Barry's suggestion, and she nodded in agreement when Looker gave her a wide-eyed glance for verification. Disbelief danced in his chocolate brown eyes as his gaze maneuvered between the two adolescents with a grateful smile. "Really?! Thanks!"

"No problem," the duo replied in unison, sharing an almost identical grin. If Barry was thinking the same thing as Dawn, he had caught wind of Looker's desperation, and had taken immediate pity on his seemingly hopeless quest of finding the criminals.

"Oh, any by the way, whether or not you find Team Galactic depends on if I keep my job or not, and I've got two kids and a wife to feed," Looker friendlily reminded them with a sickeningly sweet smile on his tanned face. He pivoted on his heel as he began to stroll into the nearby Pokemon Center, and waved his hand to bid the two farewell. "But don't worry! There's no pressure at all!"

"… What did you say?!"

* * *

The shelves of the Pick a Peck of Colors Shop were lined with Pokemon toys, poffins and other sweets, accessories, clothing, and – of course – flowers. A sweet aroma greeted Barry and Dawn as soon as they strolled into the brightly lit store, as did a blast of cold air that was blaring from a distant air conditioner. A catchy, inspirational tune leaked through the speakers of a radio setting on the cash register counter, and that mixed with the lighthearted chatter amongst the employees seemed to be the only ambiance in the peaceful shop.

Dawn's face lit up upon entering the petite store. She already adored Floaroma Town for the breathtaking beauty it possessed, but their renowned cafes and shops simply added to Dawn's reason for loving the town. Most coordinators flocked to the town and used it as a resource for outfits and accessories for both their Pokemon and themselves. The shops sold some items exclusive to Floaroma Town, making them very rare and coveted. Whipping out a one-of-a-kind seal or a limited edition accessory could add major brownie points for Dawn from her next contest's judges. The thought of adorning her Lopunny with a sparkly bow or a stylish bracelet made the girl sigh dreamily.

"Barry, don't you just live it here?" Dawn lightheartedly asked, turning to see that her childhood friend already had his back facing her and was inspecting a display shelf near the front of the store. She smiled at his enthusiasm, and strolled over to where he was to join him in browsing.

"_Eeeeeek!_"

Her movements were brought to an immediate halt when the blond turned around to face her – his face bearing a dull gray skin tone and oddly shaped, purple eyes. Barry's sudden facial transformation came to her as such a shock that Dawn stumbled backwards, her heart leaping out of her chest as she gaped at her friend with a pale face and wide eyes. It wasn't until she realized that he had placed a Banette mask on his face that her astonishment subsided, and was quickly replaced with anger. Rage bubbled up inside her as she furiously swatted at Barry's arm, making the blond yelp in surprise.

"What the heck was that about?!" Barry asked in an irate, muffled voice. He grimaced behind his mask as he defensively caressing his arm in a melodramatic fashion.

Dawn exhaled in an attempt to regain her composure, her heart still racing. "You scared me," she simply stated, furrowing her brows at Barry's cluelessness.

Barry proceeded in giving Dawn an incredulous look behind the mask as she began to inspect a display rack filled with bows varying in size, shape, pattern, and color. She pretended not to notice Barry's stare, knowing that he would move on and forget about the incident in a few moments. Barry may have been a persistent person, but wasn't fond of helping her shop. He would get bored momentarily and begin exploring a different part of the store.

"Excuse me!" Never in his life had Barry heard a female voice at such a high octave. He averted his gaze from Dawn to see a brunette with a nametag hurrying down an aisle towards them, a concerned expression on her tanned face. Clutched tightly in one of her manicured hands was a white suitcase-esque box with a vibrant red first-aid logo plastered on each side. Barry narrowed his eyes, wondering what she was doing with a first aid kit. When she finally reached the two, she came to a halt. "I heard screaming over here. Is something wrong?"

Dawn froze, feeling her face flush pink. She hadn't realized that her petrified shriek had attracted anyone's attention other than Barry's. Based on how quickly the girl had come bounding towards them with a first-aid kit in tow, she had obviously gave off the impression that she had been injured. She placed the bow she had been examining back on its original resting spot on the display shelf, and gave the girl a forced, polite smile. "No, no. Everything's fine. My friend here just put on that Banette mask and… Well…"

She didn't have to finish her sentence and admit her cowardice. The girl gave her a knowing look and a small smile, nodding understandingly. The girl in question almost gave off the impression of being a coordinator, based on how stylishly she was dressed. Her lengthy blonde hair hung in waves that cascaded down her back, her makeup looked as if were done by a professional, and her ballet flats and bubblegum pink dress were right off of the runway. Dawn immediately felt inferior in her pink boots and white beanie.

"Why would you scare your friend like that?" The girl turned to Barry with a scornful expression, speaking as if she were interacting with a toddler. Without invitation, she reached up with her free hand to remove the mask from Barry's face. He sputtered objections as she done so, but he was secretly glad to have the heat-trapping mask off of his face. It had been preventing any of the shop's cool air from coming into contact with his face. "That wasn't very nice."

The blond felt an annoyed frown spread across his face at the girl's comments. It felt as if the girl were patronizing him, and Barry hated being belittled. He temporarily forgot that his expressions were no longer obscured from view by a mask, and, once remembered, he quickly made his face turn blank. Caught up in these actions, it took him longer than it should have to notice that the girl had been gazing at him with widened green eyes. "What's wrong with _you?_"

"I'm sorry for staring," the girl immediately apologized, snapping out of her apparent trance and giving him a warm smile. Her face was a light pink, which was odd. It wasn't hot enough in the shop for anyone's face to be flushed. "Really. It's just… I'm only wondering… Why were you hiding such an adorable face with an ugly, old mask?"

Her compliment led to Dawn jerking her head towards them to get a front row seat of the scene unfolding before her. The girl had discarded the mask to a nearby shelf, and had taken a step closer to Barry. Being the clueless dunce he is, he looked more puzzled than anything. "Huh?" he replied.

The girl clasped her hands together as her face lit up, earning a confused glance from Dawn. Sure, saleswomen were supposed to be happy and ambitious, but she had never encountered one _this _happy. She continued to speak in an overly excited tone with her already high-pitched voice. "You wouldn't happen to be… a coordinator, would you? I rarely see male coordinators here! They usually try to make their Pokemon look 'cool' instead of fashionable. It's a dumb thing to do, if you ask me."

Out of all of her chattering, Barry was only able to pick up her general accusation of him being a coordinator. He shook his head defiantly, a few strands of blond hair falling into his eyes as he interrupted her ramblings. "No way! Coordinating is way too boring! I'm a Trainer, and someday you'll know me as the Champion of Sinnoh!"

_I can't tell if he's trying to brag or if he's just being ambitious_, Dawn plainly thought, feeling herself frown. Barry was completely oblivious to the girl's previous compliment, and had persisted in talking about his dreams without missing a beat. Dawn supposed it was his way of doing the "people make people famous" philosophy.

"The Champion?" The girl's eyes grew theatrically at Barry's declaration, and her smile transformed into an enthusiastic grin. "You must be an _amazing _Trainer!" – When Barry vigorously nodded, a few more blond strands fell out of place – "I think it's really cool how gutsy you are, shopping here and all. Most Trainers aren't really into the candy stores and flower shops around town – they wouldn't even want to be seen here!"

Barry opened his mouth to utter a reply, but it snapped closed when he saw the girl's hand reach out to touch his face. Impulsively, he shut his eyes, only to reopen them when he realized that the girl was brushing his hair out of his amber eyes. He must have still been hot from the Banette mask, since he felt his face commence in burning. The girl gave him a sweet smile as she retreated her hand to fall at her side. "There you go hiding your face again – this time with your hair! If some guys looked half as good as you, they'd be showing off like there was no tomorrow! Are you self-conscious? You shouldn't be! Of all of the guys that have ever came waltzing in here, you're definitely the cutest I've seen!"

Dawn had to stifle her gag reflex from kicking in. Talk about desperate! The girl took one look at Barry and had started cooing and gushing at him like he were a handsome idol. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the girl's desperation, utterly disgusted by what was going on in her wake. Without even contemplating the outcome of her actions, she forcefully reached for Barry's wrist, and began tugging him towards the entrance. Turning over her shoulder to glance at the girl, she gave her a forced smile. "Thanks for everything, but we really have to go. We have to be in Eterna City before nightfall, and you know how crazy that trek through Eterna Forest can be! _Isn't that right, Barry?_"

The blond looked like a lost, confused child as he glanced at Dawn with his mouth slightly ajar. Stumbling a bit, he had to regain his composure to prevent being knocked over by the force of Dawn's pulling. "Wait a sec – I thought you wanted to shop here? What was the point of coming if you didn't even look around?"

"They didn't have the pattern I wanted on those bows," she lied, thrusting the shop's decorative door open. Sunlight immediately began to pour into the shop, making Dawn squint as she continued to drag Barry away from the place.

"Oh! Um… Thank you two for shopping!" The girl stammered, caught off guard by Dawn's sudden abrasiveness. There was a twinge of disappointment in her falsely cheerful tone as she bid the trainers farewell. "Come back soon, okay?!"

_Don't count on it,_ the bluenette silently fumed, tuning out any of Barry's sputtered objections.

* * *

Dawn kept her stony glare directed at the seemingly endless path before her. It had been fifteen minutes since they had departed from the Pick a Peck of Flowers Shop, and she hadn't stopped to spare Barry a single glance. The blond knew that Dawn was angry – anyone with eyes could have seen that – but he had no idea as to _why_ she was so aggravated. He had noticed her silence on Route 204 was that of uneasiness, but this was a different type. He eyed her nervously, almost afraid to speak.

The two trainers were already on the outskirts of Floaroma Town, on the borderline of Route 205 and the renowned Valley Windworks. Noon had quickly faded into mid-afternoon, only slightly lowering the scorching temperatures. Route 205 had the same nature-filled, picturesque environment that Floaroma Town possessed, but less flowers were present and larger types of greenery replaced them. Majestic trees and overgrown bushes lined the dirt path that worked as a pathway from Floaroma Town to Eterna Forest. The hushed bustle that emitted from the town behind them grew distant, as Barry's constant sniffling quickly became almost a part of the Route's ambiance. Both Dawn and Barry were unaware of the blonde's sensitive allergies – and, even if he had been aware, he probably would have neglected bringing so much as a tissue to ease the congestion.

"Oh, for Arceus' sake," Dawn disrupted the silence between the two with an exasperated sigh. She commenced in digging around in one of her skirt's convenient pockets and effectively snapping Barry out of his own daze. A small handkerchief was in her hand as she retreated it back out of her pocket, and she swiftly jerked it in Barry's direction. That damn noise was driving her up a wall. "Do something about that sniffling, Barry. _Please._"

Her unexpected offer had brought their stroll to a temporary halt. For a moment, Barry simply stood there, staring at the handkerchief held loosely in Dawn's hand with wide amber eyes. Slowly, as if he were considering every move made with precision, lifted his own hand, and warily grabbed the item. He then commenced in dabbing at his leaking nose, his cheeks tinted pink. The soft texture of the handkerchief felt like real silk in contrast with his snout's irritated flesh, and he breathed a nasal sigh of relief. He relied heavily on his friend's preparedness without realizing it, and was often lent items such as medicine or _food_ needed while traveling. "Thanks, Dawn."

"You're welcome," she replied with a curt nod, before averting her gaze to the path that lied before them. She was still angered by the disgusting scene in the flower shop, but – at this point – she almost felt a twinge of guilt. Barry was too dense to have noticed the girl's blunt flirtatious advances, and it wasn't like it was _his_ fault in the first place. But, the nerve of that girl! She must have either been in dire want of a boyfriend, or was deprived to self-respect. It wasn't even because she had chosen to flirt with Barry, of all people. It just sickened Dawn to see someone so _desperate._

Before them was a narrow, winding road that seemed to elongate for miles. They would have to use Barry's impossibly quick pace in order to reach Eterna City by nightfall. Without thinking, Dawn added, "I forgot how large Route 205 is… Looks like it's going to be a while before we reach Eterna…"

"Nonsense!" Barry retorted, a wide grin on his face. He shoved the handkerchief into his pants pocket (Dawn was glad that he didn't offer to return the soiled strip of fabric), and clenched his fists to express his determination. "We can make it in record timing if we go fast enough!"

Dawn was already shaking her head in disapproval before Barry had even finished his statement. Tucking a stray dark blue lock behind her ear, she explained her reasoning as they presumed in making their way down the dirt path. "Have you forgotten about Eterna Forest? It's impossible to get through there in less than three hours – and we'll just get lost if we mindlessly sprint through it. Remember when you, Lucas, and I got lost in that forest?"

Barry opened his mouth to reply, but quickly snapped it closed. Memories of the maze-like layout of the forest flashed in his mind, as did the reminiscence of the day that the trio lost their way in there. Being rookie trainers at the time, the three were absolutely terrified of the ferocious Pokemon, cruel Trainers, and – most of all – the supposedly haunted Old Chateau. Barry had feinted courage that day, but he knew that his trembling knees had been impossible to conceal. His navigating "skills" were what had led them astray in the first place, and Dawn and Lucas were infuriated with him the entire night they spent in the forest. "T-That was _one time!_"

"We almost died that night!" Dawn retorted, at a louder volume than intended. She was exaggerating, but the terror she had been vexed with that evening made her feel as if the trio were knocking on death's door. She grimaced at the vivid memory. It got so dark in Eterna Forest during nightfall, that it was a struggle to see your own hand in front of your face, much less a vicious Pokemon lurking in the shadows.

Barry caught the fact that she was being overly dramatic, and didn't hesitate in using it to defend himself. Shooting a glare in Dawn's direction, a frown played on his lips as he spoke. "No we didn't! You were just scared of the dark and panicked!"

"N-No I didn't!" She retaliated, blood rushing to her cheeks at Barry's correct accusation. Being a coordinator, many trainers looked down on her and perceived her as "weak" and "girly," when she knew that she was no such thing. Jabs at her that questioned her courage or strength nearly drove her over the deep end, especially when someone close to her like Barry was the one dishing them out.

"Yeah, right! You're always getting scared of-" Barry's statement came to a sudden halt as he jerked his head towards the dirt path leading to the Windworks. Seconds passed in silence, with Dawn impatiently waiting for him to finish his reply. When he continued to remain mute, Dawn irritably inquired to what was wrong with him. His gaze did not leave the dirt path when he replied, "Dawn… Look."

Slowly following his gaze with uncertainty, her eyes widened when she noticed what Barry had been referring to. A young girl in baggy clothing and a choppy, uneven haircut– who couldn't have been a day older than six – was standing on the edge of the dirt path a fair distance ahead. Her head was bowed, her eyes clearly fixated on the ground. Her entire form was trembling, as if it were taking all of her self-control to remain standing in that spot. Lifting a hand, the little girl feverishly rubbed at her eyes, her lower lip trembling violently. Dawn narrowed her eyes, her curiosity peaking for the umpteenth time that day alone.

Without warning, Barry broke out into a speedy sprint to where the girl stood with a concerned frown replacing his formerly irate, embarrassed expression. Dawn watched his impulsive action with raised eyebrows, before quickly jogging to catch up to the blond. He was already kneeling down to the girl's height to inquire about her wellbeing, a compassionate glint in his eyes when Dawn reached him. "Hey… Are you okay?"

To their surprise, the girl lifted her head to reveal red, puffy eyes and tear-stained cheeks. Embarrassed at being caught crying, she began roughly rubbing at her eyes to dry away the tears that continued to leak out of her eyes. She sniffled loudly, her lower lip trembling as she tried to sputter an explanation for her tears. "D-Daddy..."

"What about your dad?" Barry inquired, a twinge of hastiness in his tone. Dawn was taken aback by his tone, as his mood had managed to do a complete 360 in a matter of seconds. In a slightly more firm voice, he added, "What happened? Are you hurt?"

The girl shook her head, blinking back more tears and gulping in an attempt to make her tone clearer. "H-He… I mean, Weird people took my d-daddy away… They t-took him to the Windworks, and he promised that he'd be back but… It's been a whole day! And he hasn't come back yet!"

Barry's face paled at the girl's reply, staring at her as a single tear fell out of her eye and cascaded down her cheek. When he realized that that was all of the information she was willing to opt up, he bombarded her with yet another question. "These weird men, do you know what they looked like?"

"Their hair was greenish-blue… And they dressed like spacemen…" She described, after thoughtfully concocting a suitable answer. She nodded at the end of her sentence, satisfied with her accurate description. Her tone was forced, as if she were having difficulty speaking clearly in between her panicked gasps for air. "And… They… I don't know what they want from my daddy… But I think it might be about his work in the Windworks… He's a researcher there…"

Barry and Dawn shared a knowing look. By the sounds of things, Looker was right about Team Galactic, and it seems as if their appearances fit the bill of the girl's description. The little girl, not noticing the exchange, let out a wail of anguish as tears poured out of her eyes and cascaded down her cheeks.

The blond stood up to his full height to give the girl a reassuring look. "Don't worry…"

His voice trailed off, notifying that he wanted to know the girl's name to insert her name into his statement. She paused, before offering him her name. "Kyla."

"Don't worry, Kyla!" Barry grinned, gingerly patting the girl on her head. Her sour expression was obscured from his line of vision, but it wasn't like he would have paid it any attention in the first place. "Dawn and I will go see what your dad's up to! And I promise I'll bring him back! By the way, I'm Barry!"

Dawn's eyes widened at Barry's vow. Directing her eyes, he didn't catch her questionable gape as his grin simply grew when the girl, too, gazed up at him with wide eyes. It seemed like an awfully big promise to make to someone they had just met, but Dawn knew that Barry hadn't just said that in the heat of the moment. He always meant what he said, and made a point of keeping his word, even if it meant going to nearly impossible lengths to do so. _There he goes, not thinking about the consequences of his actions. Again._

"R-Really?" Kyla sniffled, disbelief in her chocolate brown orbs. In reply, Barry vigorously bobbed his head up and down, fire in his amber eyes. Without waiting for Kyla to ask any further questions, he turned and began speeding in the direction of the Windworks, appearing like a multi-colored blur as he swiftly rounding a corner and disappearing from view.

Dawn watched him dash off with wide eyes, before allowing for an exasperated sigh to escape her lips. She gave Kyla sympathetic look, beginning to slowly stroll down the path Barry had taken. "Wait here, okay Kyla?"

"W-Why?" The girl whimpered, more tears pouring out of her eyes and effectively grabbing Dawn's attention. Dawn brought her stroll to a halt to raise her eyebrows at her. Kyla sniffled in an attempt to make her voice less nasal as she finished her question. "Why is waiting the only thing I can ever do?"

* * *

**Please write a review and tell me what you think. **

**Shout-out to Sonya-Valentine, Mike Birbilgia, and anonymous user Pecha for reviewing last chapter!**

**Lots and lots of battles next chapter. Just a heads-up. Hopefully, it'll atone for the lack of events in this chapter. **

**Also, I just want to mention that the girl flirting with Barry isn't anyone of significance in the story. I just knew that the Pick a Peck of Colors shop was ran by girls that I assumed were around their late teens, and figured that one of them could be used to make Dawn a little jelly. You won't be seeing her again; trust me.  
**


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